Hawks Box in Obama on Afghan War

[ensho]

http://www.truth-out.org/hawks-box-obama-afghan-war62745


Just back from Afghanistan, Marine Commandant, Gen. James Conway held a news conference to add his voice to the Pentagon campaign to disparage the July 2011 date President Barack Obama set for U.S. troops to begin leaving Afghanistan.

-snip-

Conway began his press conference by adding a new measure to the refrain led by Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, that considerable time will be required before Afghan forces can take over from U.S. troops.

The Marine general said, "I honestly think it will be a few years before conditions on the ground are such that turnover will be possible for us," adding: "When some American unit somewhere in Afghanistan will turn over responsibilities to Afghan forces in 2011, I do not think they will be Marines."

-long snip-
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this is a long article and doesn't excerpt well but the bottom line is - its 1 Obama vs. many military neo con brass standing on his neck.

he needs brave people to help him get them off his neck so progress can be made.

[walldude]

1. Um... are you serious? Obama ordered the troop increase, he wanted this

and now we are supposed to believe that he's doing it because the Military is "standing on his neck"? Do the words Commander in Chief mean anything?

[VMI Dem]

2. This is Obama's War. Nothing more..nothing less.

[jaxx]

3. Obama started the war, left it to fester, and walked away leaving it for the next guy?

I don't think so.

[tularetom]

4. He only needs one brave person to do what needs to be done

Himself. If he's waiting for the military brass to tell him it's OK to pull out he'll be waiting an awful long time.

This is their job. They have a good thing going - unlimited supply of money, guns and cannon fodder. They aren't going to advise him to eliminate their job.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Obama, like LBJ, boxed himself into the "Strong on defense" Democrat rhetoric.

And, is now paying the price of defending a lost war fought for domestic political PR.